Scientists decided to name some newly discovered tree frogs in Madagascar based on the boops and trills they make, which reminded the researchers of Star Trek. Among the scientific names for these critters that belong to the rare Boophis frog genus...
Laura in Hereford, Arizona, noticed scientists saying species as “spee-SEES” while a radio host used “spee-SHEES.” Both pronunciations are standard in North American and British English, and neither carries a stigma. The “spee-SHEES” version, with...
For a fantastic read about the history of taxonomy and the ways we use language to try to divide up and impose order on the world, check out Naming Nature: The Clash Between Instinct and Science (Bookshop|Amazon) by science writer Carol Kaesuk Yoon...
The mayfly, that insect whose time is up in a mere 24 hours or so, goes by many other names, including bay fly, cisco fly, drake fly, dun, eel fly, fish fly, flying clipper, green fly, July fly, June bug, June fly, and more. This is part of a...
Paul from Eau Claire, Wisconsin, spent his first 30 years in Minnesota, so Wisconsin friends sometimes call him a mud duck. In that border-rivalry setting, it’s usually a good-natured jab at Minnesotans, much like cheesehead for Wisconsinites. Among...
Are we a nosy species? A listener married to a woman from Bangladesh explains how a Bengali term that translates as “nose-going” reflects the naturally inquisitive style of Bangladeshi culture. In many languages, the nose figures prominently in...
